Business Council says no to increasing carbon targets

The Business Council of Australia (BCA) has urged the federal government’s independent climate change adviser to resist a new push to increase Australia’s pledge to cut emissions.

The Climate Change Authority (CCA) is currently reviewing the 2020 target of reducing emissions by 5 per cent as well as the long-term 2050 goal of reducing emissions by 80 per cent.

While the authority is set to be abolished by an incoming Coalition government, its report is likely to lay down markers for Australia in international climate change negotiations.

Earlier this week, the World Wildlife Fund released modelling showing there would be very little additional cost from increasing targets, given the low price of carbon internationally.

But in its submission, the BCA said other countries were not doing enough to cut emissions to justify Australia ­raising its targets.

Both sides of the political divide have committed to increasing targets if there is a global agreement to cut emissions.

“There is no evidence that this willingness to pay more on Australia’s part has led to an increase in global action – any proposition to ‘up the ante’ further has no robust empirical rationale," the BCA said in its submission to the CCA.